Country Stars Shine in Dubbo

Tuesday, 20 August 2002 00:00

The sweet taste of success was savoured by Mudgee trainer Max Crockett and Dubbo trainer Mike Williams on Saturday night when their stable stars took out the Central Districts Racing Association (CDRA) and Western Racing Association (WRA) Horse of the Year Awards respectively.

Before an audience of 200 people CDRA Chairman Max Walker announced 5 year old mare Minelli as CDRA Horse of the Year, and in doing so praised the efforts of the "Mudgee Maestro" Max Crockett.

Minelli amassed over $55,000 in prizemoney from 8 starts including 2 wins in town.

It was a popular win for Cobar-owned iron horse Bitcede in the WRA Horse of the Year.

Conditioned by the quiet achiever of Dubbo racing, Mike Williams, Bitcede amassed over $50,000 in prizemoney from 14 starts, including the Coonamble-Coonabarabran Cups double.

In other awards announced on Saturday, City of Dubbo Turf Club took out the Best Promotion by a Race Club Award for its inaugural "Zoo City Carnival"; prolific race caller Col Hodges was a popular winner of the Racing Personality Award; while broadcast cohort Bob Foran was honoured in the Special Achievement Award for his 50th consecutive call of the Gilgandra Cup.

Rising apprentice Brooke Timmis was honoured with the Apprentice Encouragement Award, while champion jockey Greg Ryan missed out on the Special Achievement Award, he clearly won both riding premierships in the WRA and CDRA.

Bathurst trainer Leanne Aspros took out the CDRA trainers title for the third year running, while Coonamble legend John Lundholm captured another in a long list of WRA trainers titles.

Former Bathurst-based apprentice Robyn Freeman captured the CDRA apprentice title, Chris Wearne again took home the WRA apprentice title and Alan Kehoe the approved rider title.

Full results:

AWARDS

PREMIERSHIPS

Media Release - NSW CRC